Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him behind the Bulldogs’ bench through the 2011-12 season. The move comes after Sandelin led the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament with an unprecedented run through the WCHA playoffs. UMD swept at Colorado College in the first round, then became the first … Read more
Former Minnesota captain Grant Potulny, who recently returned to the team as a volunteer assistant coach, has been elevated to full-time status with the team. He replaces Mike Hastings, who joined new coach Dean Blais at Nebraska-Omaha. Potulny helped the Gophers to national championships in 2002 and 2003, scoring the overtime winner in the title … Read more
One of college hockey’s greatest rivalries will have one of the game’s best-known voices telling its story when Rival Films releases “The Battle of Comm Ave — Boston University vs. Boston College” this fall. Mike “Doc” Emrick, the well-known voice for NBC and Versus broadcasts of NHL action, will provide the narration for this one-of-a-kind … Read more
Western New England coach Chris Bernard is moving to Potsdam to coach the Bears, Potsdam athletic director Jim Zalacca told North Country This Week. Bernard, a 1998 Clarkson graduate, had a 17-52-4 record in three seasons at Western New England after leaving an assistant coaching position at Canisius. In his senior season at Clarkson, Bernard … Read more
Niagara will host the final CHA tournament at Dwyer Arena on March 12 and 13, 2010, the league announced. The CHA is disbanding after the 2009-10 season. Niagara and Robert Morris are moving to Atlantic Hockey; Bemidji State is moving to the WCHA; and Alabama-Huntsville has applied for admission to the CCHA. Dwyer Arena also … Read more
Another head coach is leaving college for a new USA Hockey venture. Scott Paluch has stepped down at Bowling Green to be a regional manager of USA Hockey’s American Development Model. Assistant coach Dennis Williams will be the interim head coach for the 2009-10 season. His move comes just a month after Brown’s Roger Grillo … Read more
The Minnesota Wild pulled the ultimate fast one during Friday night’s NHL Entry Draft and in doing so were part of college hockey’s most disappointing opening draft round in recent memory. Â After having the 13th overall pick in the first round, positioned perfectly the select Minnesota-born Jordan Schroeder, the Wild traded their top selection … Read more
College hockey quickly redeemed itself at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday with 10 college freshmen-to-be becoming NHL property in the second round. The onslaught of college players came a day after only seven collegians were drafted in the opening round and none among the top 15 overall picks. Leading the way on Saturday … Read more
As anticipated, the WCHA voted Friday to admit Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha beginning with the 2010-11 season, making the conference a 12-team league. The expansion is the league’s first since Minnesota State joined in 1999-2000. The vote, which puts the Bemidji State program back on solid ground only months after it became the first No. … Read more
Former Cornell goaltender David McKee has pleaded not guilty to two felony rape charges in Santa Ana, Calif., after being arraigned earlier this month. McKee, a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2005, posted $100,000 bail and is due in court for a pre-trial hearing on July 10. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, … Read more
Miami defenseman Will Weber was arrested in Oxford, Ohio, and charged with theft after police said he stole a purse from a bar on June 21, the Oxford Press reported. Weber, 20, a second-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, also was charged with offenses involving underage persons and … Read more
There’s no doubt that the pressure that is placed on 18-year-old kids at the NHL Entry Draft is unmatched, maybe even unfair. These kids trade skateboards and roller blades for business suits, sit through difficult job interviews with countless NHL general managers and have a media spotlight shone on them for three straight days. For … Read more
Arguably the decade’s most successful sports town recognized two of college hockey’s most successful coaches Wednesday night. Boston College’s Jerry York and Boston University’s Jack Parker were honored with the Special Achievement Award at this year’s Tradition, a fundraising who’s-who of Boston sports that benefits the New England Sports Museum. “We were up at Clarkson … Read more
Mike Hastings is moving from his position as assistant coach at Minnesota to the associate head coach position at Nebraska-Omaha. Hastings will join new Mavericks coach Dean Blais and Nick Fohr, who as an assistant coach for former UNO coach Mike Kemp, in the new staff. “Mike Hastings has a proven track record of developing … Read more
David Quinn is leaving his position as associate head coach of national champion Boston University to become the head coach of the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters. David Quinn spent five seasons as an assistant to Jack Parker at Boston University (file photo: Melissa Wade). Quinn, 42, spent five seasons at his alma mater after leading … Read more
Dean Blais is back in college hockey. Will his next move be back to the WCHA? That much is uncertain, but what’s known is that Blais is the new coach at Nebraska-Omaha, a move that was announced at a news conference Friday in Omaha, Neb. Blais, a two-time national champion in 10 seasons at North … Read more
Boston University defenseman Brian Strait’s stint as co-captain proved to be a short one. Less than two months after the Terriers won the national championship in dramatic fashion over Miami, the rising senior opted to forgo his senior season in favor of signing a pro contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him in the … Read more
Plymouth State has named Darcy Corson the coach of its women’s program. She replaces Heathey Hoffay, who posted a 1-54-1 record in the program’s first three seasons. Corson, a 2001 graduate of Bowdoin, was the head coach at Milton Academy in Massachusetts for the last two years. “She is experienced, knowledgeable and energetic and will … Read more
Former Rensselaer goaltender Nathan Marsters was killed Monday in an automobile accident in Smithville, Ontario, the Hamilton Spectator reported. Nathan Marsters holds the Rensselaer career records for games played, starts, saves and goals against average (file photo: David Silverman, RPI Sports Info). Marsters, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene after a deer crashed through … Read more
St. Cloud State has given coach Bob Motzko a six-year contract through the 2014-15 season, the school announced Tuesday. Bob Motzko led St. Cloud State to an 18-17-3 record last season. Motzko, who has a 81-58-19 record in four years since taking over for Craig Dahl in 2005, will earn more than $1 million over … Read more